PAU to move state biotech panel for nod to GM mustard trials

CHANDIGARH: Saying that it was open to new experiments, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has decided to put up the issue of conducting trials on a Genetically Modified (GM) variety of mustard before the state’s biotechnology coordination committee for approval.

Former vice-chancellor of Delhi University and biotechnology department head Deepak Pental is behind the new GM variety. The technical committee of the Union environment ministry has cleared Pental’s GM seeds for field tests.

The state biotechnology coordination committee has agriculture commissioner BS Sidhu, director agriculture JS Bains and PAU vice-chancellor as its members. Sidhu’s consent will be crucial and he has refused to comment. PAU vice-chancellor BS Dhillon told HT that experiments should not stop. On GM mustard, he added that there was no problem in using these oilseeds. “This is the first-of-itskind GM seed produced in the public sector. So, it must be encouraged at least to the extent of getting field tests done,” Dhillon said, adding that the variety was known to give higher yield than others.

Umendra Dutt of Kheti Virasat Mission told HT that there was no shortage or epidemic on mustard. “We should avoid GM mustard. It requires a fungicide, glycostat, that has adverse results,” he added. He added, “The best results of any crop come from farming that uses indigenously produced seeds and green manure.”

Even before trials could begin, environmentalists have started opposing the new mustard variety. Their argument is that as there is no scarcity of mustard in the country, there is no point in growing GM mustard.